《Hero Scout》Chapter 9 - Evil Souls 18
Advertisement
Kenji scanned the boy knight's memories quickly and decided to snatch a silver candle from the shrine to the Everseeing. More than a mere candle, Kenji could now see it was filled with holy power. Used as a magical focus, this is what had allowed Arthur to cast spells he had spent years learning.
Turning slowly, Kenji strode to where the corpse of Mr Guard lay.
"I'm sorry Mr Guard, but I promise I will avenge you. So you can rest now, and thank you very much for the help. Even if I couldn't keep your boy alive," Kenji wiped away the tears as he pulled away the iron helm. The man was rugged, with a broken nose and eyes that stared into eternity.
Slowly, Kenji closed them. Clasping his hands he whispered a prayer, before dragging himself away with the heaviest heart in all the world.
Candle in hand, he pulled the windows open. Sucking in a big breath, Kenji carefully stepped through, to walk alone slippery roofing with steel-wrapped feet. It took precious time, but eventually, he got to the point where he could jump a gap and land atop the stone walls of the quart yard.
Recalling memories of the last battle, Kenji's heart sank. From Arthur's perspective, the intruder had been deadly fast, wickedly skilled and had only gotten wounded at all due to his fear of his white fire and Kenji's suicidal tackle. How the previous guards managed to wound the assassin at all was beyond Kenji's understanding. Even wounded, the assassin was likely to be faster and more experienced.
Kenji needed a plan.
Activating his blessing of [sight], the white eye burned in his forehead, his perception becoming incredibly detailed. Ahead he made out the slightest impressions in the dirt of the invisible assassin. Behind splattered blotched of blue, the assassin managing to send the droplets in a haphazard manner behind him as he staggered towards the gate.
"Come out and plaaaAAaaay," Kenji said in his best horror film voice, scraping the stone at his feet with his gauntlet.
The assassin turned on a dime to see Kenji crash into stone, pain flaring up and down his legs. He forced himself to ignore the damage, focusing everything on the show.
Advertisement
"I killed you," came a regal voice. Invisibility shuddering, the creature slowly revealed itself. "Tch, out of mana." A dark cape, two little white fangs, ashen skin and slanted eyes filled with crimson orbs that held the weight of a Lord in their depths. Rising tall, the Vampire assassin stared with a hungering bloodthirst right into Kenji's soul.
"You made a mistake. You can't kill what's already dead ooOOoo~" Kenji said in his best-haunted tone. The way the vampire stepped back, one hand clenched to one of the wounds in his side, Kenji thought it was working.
"I hate this damned world. My first dead hero and it was some kind of lich-"
"Liches are magic users," Kenji said against his better judgment. "I would be closer to a Deathknight."
"Did you not just use Holy magic before?" The vampire's eyebrow twitched. "And since when can those associated with a holy power become undead anyway? This game suuuuucks."
"Ever heard of the Lich King? he was a paladin that became a Deathknight- but he had lich in the title- bah! never mind," Kenji growled.
"So- not really a ghost then?" The Vampire Assasin smirked.
"What number are you?" Kenji stalked closer. Activating his magic focus, the silver candle becoming lit with a little white flame. Drawing on its holy essence, Kenji cast [Bless-fire] on his sword, white fire erupting along its steel edge.
"Number....? 16, and you?" The Vampire leaned closer to the ground and flickered a blade from fine noble sleaves into each hand. Even worse, Kenji realised he had stopped bleeding as his eyes had started to flare red.
"What. Number?" The vampire said, licking his lips as his white fangs lengthened, and claws burst through his gloves.
"Your XP...you spent it," Kenji said as he realised. Spitting to the side, Kenji lowered his helm. "I'm 1."
That made the bastard's eyes go wide, Kenji already swinging his flaming sword before he could recover.
"DAARIO?" The Vampire screamed, moving like water and yet startled, proved too slow. Kenji's sword plunged into his shoulder, cutting through like butter, darkness and blue blood exploding outward.
"I'm sorry Daario, I didn't know this was your terf! I'll do what you ask - just don't kill me!"
Advertisement
Cleaving down into his belly, the Vampire screamed.
"Kneel then, throw away your weapons and swear me your fealty," Kenji said in his best bad guy tone. From roleplaying games, he knew it was best when emotionless, unforgiving, and absolutely cut-throat in implementation. The Vampire knelt, head pressed into the ground, knives crashing against the stone in each direction.
"It's me Daario, Seb. We used Nocturne as an intermediary?"
Ah, so they had never met each other face to face, Kenji thought. That made him very happy indeed, worried his mannerisms would not be in line with this 'Daario' he seemed so scared of.
"Seb, tell me about your species. All of it," Kenji continued unabating, edging closer. Wanting to be absolutely sure he could end this in the next strike.
"Vampire Elder species. Fast, can regenerate by spending blood. Blood that for me is pure mana, and takes many more bodies to replenish. My special ability is invisibility, but that costs my blood to maintain as well, even if it is quite cheap."
Peering up, Seb squinted. "But Daario, I was told holy element was our weakness as morally evil- urgh!" Kenji missed, his blade sinking deep through 16's other shoulder to pierce a lung, pulling free he left the vampire with nearly a third of his body dangling. Sliding back quickly, 16 jumped to his feet, a third knife in dangling hand, blue blood welling between the wounds and stitching them back together.
"You not Daario, are you?" 16 snarled, eyes flaring red.
"Nope," Kenji said mid-swing, gambling it everything by adjusting the arc of his swing to where the Vampire might go. Sure enough, the Vampire had moved instinctually, and Kenji swung his flaming sword right through the vampire's head. A burst of white and the Vampire was reduced to a smouldering corpse, a fuzzy feeling like static filling the back of Kenji's mind.
[Well done, Crusader. By defeating a creature of the Night you have gained my favour- wait, who are you?]
Kenji sweated through all his layers, as he felt a god peering into his soul.
[Hmm. Rest well Crusader, you seem to have been mentally affected through the fighting. Indeed I thought you had died at one point, hoho.]
Hoho?
[Now. For your reward, would you like to help the people, or fight the enemy?]
Kenji was presented with twin banners in his mind. The first was the bright Blessing of Life, a healing spell that cured the wounds of his brothers and destroyed the flesh of evil. He could even use it three times a day. The second was the golden banner of the Divine Stance, a rare spell, that enhanced his movement speed for 30 seconds a day.
The healing spell was easily the most beneficial. Kenji would no doubt encounter the morally corrupt again. Meanwhile, the healing factor alone would help prevent both his own deaths and that of would-be heroes. Easy XP then.
But that feeling of rarity taunted him. He wavered, his mind adoring the nature of the limited edition, and yet ultimately much less useful, Divine Stance.
It hurt Kenji deeply, but to honour Arthur's memory at least he would choose his build wisely. He chose to help the people and the blessing of life.
[Excellent, now deliver the corpse of this beast to the nearest Cathedral for an additional reward. And know, that I am always watching over you] the god faded from Kenji's mind.
He shivered, having a weird god like that watching him not something he enjoyed the idea of at all. Yet with the garrison dead, the proper authorities were most likely already on their way. Kenji put the smouldered vampire under one arm and got going.
He did quickly check to see if he could replicate 16's body. Yet in such a ruined state, the missing head especially, the body was not complete enough to be replicated.
"Tch. Well, wheres that Catherdral then?"
Searching through Arthur's memories he quickly found just where, and got moving.
Immediately upon entering the streets, Kenji was swept away by the crowd. The entire city seemingly on the move, although thankfully in the direction of the Cathedral - no, into the cathedral. Thousands upon thousands of warriors, crusaders, guards, knights, militiamen, vampire hunters and more.
Just what the hell was going on here?
Advertisement
Long Island
Long Island was not the first virtual reality game or to say a VRMMORPG. Not the one which changed the world and became a legend. No, it was made when there were lots (quite a few) of virtual reality games already on the market. Each game had its own unique AI feature, its own unique adventure, promising everyone a chance to become King, if not a God. In such a time Long Island was made. Just a little different, just a little unique. A normal guy was starting his own adventure, in life and in game.Note - Adding a cover made by someone I connected through wattpad: @DameCarnelian. Just a warning, it is not an accurate representation. The ship is not Raka's ship so avoid any confusion in that regard.
8 167How it became a Magical journey
Here are the back stories of the characters of my original story 'A magical Journey'.I will add other characters as the story goes! I will explain here how all the characters got together and what they were doing in their life before it all begun so I recommand to read the story before, since there is some spoiler in the backstories.
8 97Black Wind, White Lotus
In this world, there are haves and have nots. The former are pureblooded humans, some of whom are capable of manipulating qi, the mysterious energy that flows through every living creature, to miraculous results that defy the laws of nature and physics. Wen Feili was one such cultivator. However, she allied with the have nots- the anthropomorphic hybrids incapable of channeling qi-and dabbled in forbidden demonic arts, seeking to change the very composition of reality. This did not end well for her, and she was consumed by her own flames. A decade later, far in the northwestern mountains, her daughter Wen Fengli is working as a lowly servant of the minor Shuangshan sect. In between sweeping the floor and avoiding bullies, she secretly trains with a wooden sword, hoping to become a warrior cultivator at some point in the future. However, since she's part-human, part-wolf, it's just a pipe dream. ....or so she bitterly thought. However, one day a mysterious amulet that belonged to her mother falls into her hands. A deranged old master, a terrible conspiracy, a mysterious past? None of that matters to tomboyish wolfgirl, who only seeks to become stronger. She embarks on a journey of adventure and self-discovery, towards the mysterious southern lands where pure demi-humans are said to live...as spectre of war once again envelops the world of man. This is a Chinese-themed fantasy story set in a fictional world. You can classify it as xianxia, if you wish, but it's a rather low fantasy variant; the heavenly realm is silent, no one reached immortality in generations, and magical artifacts of old are locked away and feared. Magical beasts and spirits have been driven to the corners of civilisation, and "ordinary" abilities such as flying or controlling swords through telekinesis are considered spectacular feats. The main plot of this book revolves around a kemonomimi girl who seeks power, no matter the cost. This story also features multiple character pov, and will not always follow the perspective of the mc- there are two major plotlines, one connected to conspiracy and war ongoing in the political background of the presented world, and the other focusing on the main character's physical and metaphorical journey. The cover image was drawn by minyaxj, per my request, on a commercial license.
8 97I Still am a Spy
Second part of the adventures of friends Enzo Carvalho and Vinicius Valverde. This time, the two investigate a supposed alien abduction in the Barra da Tijuca neighborhood.
8 213YOU STOLE MY HEART(Completed)
"I can't give you my heart because you already stole it . "It may seem likeAlphas are the dominant onesAnd Omegas are the submissive onesBut reality is differenta sotus fanfiction in werewolf versioncharacters belong to bittersweetplot - basic thread belongs to ma bestie
8 91Callie and Arizona, simple love story.
hi(: So, this story is just about Callie and Arizona, and how they fall in love with each other. Arizona gets into a car accident and thats how Callie meets her. Will they admit their feelings for each other? Will they end up together? I don't know, read and find out. Please let me know if you like it, if you want me to write more, etc
8 163